Category Archives: diversion

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens…brown paper packages tied up with strings…

These are a few of my favorite things*:

Damask reusable bag — this pretty decorative bag from Pier 1 makes it soooo easy to be a little more earth-friendly (ditch the plastic bags, people).

Frontera salsa — my obsession started with the tomatillo salsa, which I use for my soon-to-be-famous heuvos rancheros. But, I love all the styles (and Rick Bayless).

Dark Choco Dream — a Belgian dark spreadable chocolate found at Whole Foods. It is delicious with bananas, croissants, pancakes (or, licked off a spoon).

Cinnamon — a few sprinkles go in my coffee every day, and I love the flavor in Mexican dishes, curries, and pancakes. Not too mention the numerous health benefits associated with the spice.

Maker’s Mark Bourbon — bourbon, my friend, you helped get me through a long, cold, lonely winter. And, I’m planning to keep you around for the spring (so many ways to use it!).

Wilco album — Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was my first album, so it will always have a special place in my heart. But, if I was stranded on a desert island, I’d probably take Kicking Television.

New York Times — I’m one of the twelve people left who actually have a daily newspaper delivered. I’m loyal to the Washington Post, but I would trade just about any magazine subscription for the NYT weekender (Friday-Sunday). The Sunday edition alone gives you enough reading material for days. Fave sections include: Arts, Sunday Styles, NYT Magazine, and the Corner Office column.

The Unbearable Lightness of Being — I read this masterful novel by Czech author Milan Kundera upon my return from Prague (actually bought my copy there in a tiny bookstore).

Yoga — in my opinion, there’s nothing like it when you want to take your mind to another place. I go to my local yoga studio, Mind the Mat, at least twice a week. And, I’ve recently downloaded the Pocket Yoga app for at home practice.

*Background on my favorite things: My lovely group of friends have started a tradition. Every Spring, with a budget of $50, we put 10 of our favorite things in a basket (or a decorative damask reusable bag). We meet for dinner, draw names, and exchange baskets. It is So.Much.Fun. It is fun to get a basket of goodies, fun to hear friends talk about why these items are their favorite, fun just to hang out.

I touched on this concept last year. And, I still consider every item on the 2009 list one of my faves (with the exception of the battery-powered toothbrush–I’ve gone back to a regular toothbrush).

Ms. S&C wants to know: what favorite things would you put in your basket?

Ms. S&C loves the dry, sardonic humor of New Yorker magazine cartoons. Many months back, we shared a selection of shoe cartoons found in their Cartoon Bank. Well, we’re back at it with more funny stuff.

Because of strict copyrights, I can’t post the actual cartoon, so check out the links and report back to let us know your fave.

On a related note, this cartoon, “Being an accountant gives him that extra aura of danger,” is not in the running, but it is one that I purchased for Mr. S&C, who happens to be an accountant. I love that it takes place in a bar, and I love the irony. It is worthy to note that it appeared in the New Yorker shortly after the Enron scandal and the collapse of Arthur Andersen. In addition to being funny, it was well-timed.

Shoes & Cocktails wants to know: What cocktail-related cartoon makes you chuckle, and why? Have other funny stuff? Share it in the comments.

Advertising execs can’t get enough of the phenomenom beer-is-to-men-what-clothes/shoes-are-to-women. Last week, I shared the Goldstar Beer chart. Here’s a Heineken beer “freakout” ad that is sure to be a viral hit. The video is in Dutch, which may make it that much more enjoyable. The language of beer is universal.

A friend of mine forwarded this clever ad from Goldstar Beer. While it is the equivalent of a cheap joke, depicting oversimplified cliches about men and women, I giggled. There are two more flowcharts in the ad campaign that involve toliets and relationships, but my good conscience keeps me from posting the images here.

Gwyneth Paltrow, by the looks of it, has it all. Gorgeous, glamorous, wealthy, married to a rock star. She wants to add lifestyle advisor to the list, so she has recently launched GOOP, a website/newsletter/soon-to-be media empire, where she can share her collection of experiences, thoughts, and ideas about what makes life good. Some people have big problems with this. Google it and you’ll find a trillion hits, along with too many ridiculous comments. I guess people think she is trying to rub our noses in her good fortune. Cynical people. I’m personally not offended. I like her style and think she has good taste. And, I like hearing about new stuff, so I signed up.

We’re assuming the name, GOOP, is a combination of Ms. Paltrow’s initials and the word good. The website seems to be a work-in-progress, but is organized into six categories: Make, Go, Get, Do, Be, See. We’re also assuming that each of these categories will eventually be filled with content from her newsletters? So far, the emails have covered London hotels, restaurants, and pubs (Go), buckwheat and banana pancakes (Make), and my fave so far, an article about fashion and personal style (Get). Here’s a snippet:

“Ah, fashion… the fun frivolity that can really cheer a girl up… The key to it is realizing what works on you personally. At some point I figured out that following trends is not always the way to go, you have to know what works on your body and have confidence (not always easy) that what is flattering is fashionable.”

Not hard to figure out what I like so much — the boots are awesome. She even makes me want a pair of booties.

You can sign up for the newsletters online, but it doesn’t look like you can view old issues. If anyone is interested, I’ve saved three or four, so send me a note and I’ll forward them along.

I’ve been considering participating in Mixology Monday, the once-a-month cocktail creation you share online. The timing hasn’t been quite right (I always seem to be out of town the weekend before submissions are due – like this weekend). Plus, I know I’m an amateur (and a bit of a perfectionist), so I’m hesitant to submit anything that I don’t think is brilliant.

This month’s Mixology Monday theme is guilty pleasures. Here are a few of mine:

Shoes – Pretty obvious, huh?

Shopping – I’m such a cliché.

Cocktails – Primarily, the over-indulgence of cocktails.

Overspending – Weakness for designer brands.

Pop music – Justin Timberlake and ABBA have a place on my IPod.

Celebrity gossip – US Weekly and the Washington Post’sReliable Source keep me up-to-date with Brangelina and the Bush twins.

Potatoes – Potato chips, french fries – I can’t stay away.

Facebook – Addicted, positively addicted.

Shoes & Cocktails wants to know: What are your guilty pleasures? And, any ideas how I can make a cocktail out of mine? Post a comment below!

About Shoes & Cocktails

The blog dedicated to shoes, cocktails, and things related was created by Ms. ShoesandCocktails, a Washington, DC area resident, who lives with her husband and dog, and is surrounded by friends with good taste and a weakness for cocktails. Ms. S&C would love to hear from you, so feel free to contact her at: shoesandcocktails(at)yahoo(dot)com.

Miss Mojito also joins Ms. S&C as a contributor. Miss M is from Richmond, VA, and lives and breathes for the delightful Cuban cocktail from which she borrows her name.